Drapery-measuring device

ABSTRACT

A drapery-measuring device has a continuous elastic strip on which is a series of uniformly spaced indicia bearing plastic sleeve elements each connected to the elastic strip only at a single transverse line, as by a single row of stitching or grommets.

Unite States atem Gass Feb. 29, 1972 [54] DRAPERY-MEASURING DEVICE 2,929,l46 3/1960 McNeil ..33/l92 Inventor: Sadie Gass, 1119 Lincoln Hollywood, 2,999,321 9/1961 McAlhster ..33/l80 R 33020 Primary Examiner;Leonard Forman 22 Filed; 15, 1969 Assistant Examiner-A]. Mivabito Attorney-Lavine, Cantor & Reich [2]] Appl. No.: 884,815

[57] ABSTRACT [1.5. A d 'aperyqnea uring device has a continuous elastic trip on which is a series of uniformly spaced indicia bearing plastic Field of Search 137 103, sleeve elements each connected to the elastic strip only at a /41 D single transverse line, as by a single row of stitching or grommets. [56] References Cited 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS I 338,527 3/1886 Hyde .33/l37 Patented Feb. 29, 1972 FIG. 1

mvrzrwons SADIE GASS BY 5 501726, I 24 105 ATTORN EYH DRAPERY-MEASURING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a drapery-measuring device which is used to facilitate the marking of fabric panels so that a uniform quantity of material is utilized in each group of pleats, and so that there is uniform spacing of the several groups of pleats in the finished drapery.

There has been known a number of somewhat complex machines and apparatus for facilitating the marking of drapery fabrics so as to provide uniformly spaced groups of pinched pleats, each having essentially the same amount of material within the pinched pleat grouping. These machines have employed complex mechanical movements and the like, and have therefore been unduly expensive.

There has also been provided a simpler device characterized by an assemblage of elastic and inelastic members in alternating series. Such devices comprised, for example, plates bearing apertures and marking indicia provided in alternating relationship with linearly entending springs or elastic fabric members. However, these prior art drapery-measuring devices were somewhat inaccurate and were characterized by a lesser operating facility than was desirable. Further, they were relatively more expensive than desirable, and were not sturdy and longlasting in construction. In particular, these prior art drapery measuring devices were restricted in their utility because of the fact that only a portion of the total length of the device could be stretched, since the alternating inelastic members, such as plates, could not, of course, be stretched. Hence, where large widths of drapery fabric were to be measured, difficulty in stretching the device to the required extent would result. Further, such devices require the assemblage of selected plates from a plurality of groups of plates in order to assemble a drapery measuring device for a particular arrangement of the drapery, such as for a particular width of fabric panel, etc.

Other measuring devices known simply provide an elastic member having numerals printed thereon; although this latter construction was usable in the measuring of clothing and the like, it was not suitable for measuring drapery.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention are to provide a drapery-measuring device which is usable for measuring drapery having a wide range of spacing between drapery groups. Another object of the present invention is to provide a drapery-measuring device of simple, economical construction and which may be readily fabricated.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a drapery-measuring device which may be manufactured at low cost, and which will be long-wearing and have accurate indicia.

Yet another and further object of the present invention is the provision of a drapery-measuring device which may be used with great facility for measuring drapery fabrics, and which will therefore be more accurate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a drapery-measuring device which provides for stretching along theentire length, together with multiindicia bearing elements which do not restrict the stretching of the elastic portion thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a device for measuring panels of fabric material to be made into pleated drapery, and comprises an elongated strip of elastic material which is uniformly stretchable, and has thereon a plurality of spaced indicia bearing elements, such as plastic sleeves; these plastic sleeves are stitched or otherwise secured in uniformly spaced relationship along the elastic strip, each element being secured to the elastic strip only at one transverse location. In operation, a determination is made of how many groups of pleats are to be provided on a particular panel, and the approximate width of the completed, pleated panel, which will include a plurality of space groups of pleats. Then the draperymeasuring device of the present invention is placed in juxtaposition with the panel, so that its beginning end lies at one edge of the panel, and the elastic strip is then stretched to bring the desired indicia on a selected one of the indicia-bearing elements to the opposite edge of the fabric panel. Markings are then provided on the fabric panel, in accordance with the indicia, and the fabric panel is then sewn to provide drapes in the normal manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1. is an elevational view, with parts broken away, of a drapery-measuring device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a single indicia-bearing element and a portion of the elastic strip comprising the drapery device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 discloses an alternate embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, wherein like or corresponding reference numerals are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a drapery-measuring device 10 in accordance with the present invention and comprising an elongate strip 12 of elastic material which is characterized by being uniformly stretchable under tension. Preferably the elastic strip 12 comprises a woven fabric strip approximately 3 inches in width, and having elastic threads extending the length thereof. At the end shown in FIG. 1, the elastic strip 12 is provided with a pair of transversely spaced grommets l4 and 16 which may be utilized to anchor that end of the strip 12.

A plurality of indicia bearing elements 20 are provided in serial array along the strip 12, the elements 20 being placed on the strip 12 in uniformly spaced relationship. Each of the indicia-bearing elements 20 is secured to the strip 12 at a single transverse location relative to the strip 12, there being shown in FIG. 1 a single line of stitching 22 connecting each of the elements 20 to the strip 12.

Each of the elements 20 preferably comprises a sleeve of transparent plastic material, formed by heat sealing at their edges two mating pieces of plastic of generally planar configuration. This may be seen in FIG. 2, where the heat seals 24 and 26 may be seen, together with the elastic strip 12.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an indicia-bearing element 20, attention being particularly invited to the indicia, generally designated 30, which is preferably silk screen printed thereon, for economy and accuracy. In its preferred form, the indicia 30 comprises a series of, for example, five numerals, each in an individual and distinctive coloring. A base line 32 of still another color is provided, and the other lines shown in FIG. 3 each correspond with the color of one of the numerals. For example, the numeral 2 k" is the same color as the first vertical line to the left of base line 32, and the line above the numeral 3 together with the vertical line at its left end are the same color. These numerals designate the spacing between groups of pleats, and once it has been established that a pleat spacing of a particular amount is desired, then the same color code is utilized in markings across the entire width of the fabric panel. The right-hand indicia-bearing element 20 is shown in FIG. 3; the numerals on each of the succeeding indicia-bearing elements are progressively increased, so that the second indicia-bearing element 20 will have numerals 5, 6, 7, 8, 9," and the third indicia-bearing element 20 will have numerals 7% 9, 10%," 12, and 13%? The same progression will be utilized for the indicia on the succeeding indicia-bearing elements 20.

While in FIGS. l-3, the indicia-bearing elements 20 have been shown secured to the elastic strip 12 by means of a single row of stitching 22, there may alternately be used a singly row of rivets 36, as is shown in FIG. 4.

In use, a table is preferably provided having a pair of pins upon which the grommets l4 and 16 of measuring device are placed. One edge of a fabric panel is placed so that it lies beneath the base line 32 of the right-hand indicia-bearing element 20, and then as much of the drapery-measuring device 10 is utilized as is necessary. By this is meant that if there is to be a pleated panel having a finish width of inches, and pleat spacing is to be 2 92 inches, the element having the indicating numeral l 5 progressively increased from indicating numeral 2 k on the element 20 shown in FIG. 3 is utilized as the terminal element: it will have the same color as the indicating numeral 2 W on the element 20 of FIG. 3, and will be the sixth one of the indicia bearing elements 20. Then marks will be placed on the fabric panel adjacent each base line, and adjacent each vertical line having the same color as the numeral 2 W on the first or right-hand indicia-bearing element 26. Consequently, between each two utilized lines on each indicia bearing element 2% there will be provided the uniform space between pleats, and between the left-hand indicia line of each indicia bearing element and the base indicia line of the next indicia-bearing element to the left, there will be a uniform spacing which will provide a uniform width of material from which the pleats are to be made, there typically being three or four folds or pleats in each pleat or pleat grouping.

The present invention drapery-measuring device can be made with readily available materials, and requires a minimum of manufacturing costs. The indicia-bearing elements are readily fabricated by the heat sealing process from plastic sheeting, which has been printed with screen printing to thereby provide for accurate and economical indicia-bearing elements. The utilization of the drapery-measuring device of the present invention is substantially foolproof, requiring no calculations or charts, and is also easily handled, particularly in connection with the measuring of drapery panels of great width, due to the fact that the entire elastic strip of the present invention elongates during the stretching operation which provides the positioning of the indicia.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for measuring a panel of fabric to produce pleated drapery without resort to separate charts or tables COmpflSlngZ a. an elongate strip of elastic material uniformly stretchable under tension;

b. a plurality of indicia-bearing elements serially on said strip in uniformly spaced relationship, each element being provided with plural indicia, each for a predetermined and different pleat spacing distance, and the indicia of each element of said series of elements comprising plural indicia each of which is in progressively increased relationship to a corresponding indicium of the preceding element of the series, and

c. means securing each said element to said strip at a single transverse locus relative to said strip.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicia of the first element of said series comprise indicating numerals, representing pleat spacing distances arranged in sequence across said element widthwise of said strip and each succeeding element has correspondingly placed progressively increased indicating numerals thereon.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein each numeral on each element has a unique color and the colors of the numerals on succeeding elements for a particular pleat spacing distance have the same color.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein each indicating numeral has associated with it an indication line extending in a direction across said element widthwise of said strip.

5. The device of claim 4, where each indicating numeral and its associated indicating line on a said element is in the same color, and wherein each indicating numeral on a said element has a unique color. 

1. A device for measuring a panel of fabric to produce pleated drapery without resort to separate charts or tables comprising: a. an elongate strip of elastic material uniformly stretchable under tension; b. a plurality of indicia-bearing elements serially on said strip in uniformly spaced relationship, each element being provided with plural indicia, each for a predetermined and different pleat spacing distance, and the indicia of each element of said series of elements comprising plural indicia each of which is in progressively increased relationship to a coRresponding indicium of the preceding element of the series, and c. means securing each said element to said strip at a single transverse locus relative to said strip.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicia of the first element of said series comprise indicating numerals, representing pleat spacing distances arranged in sequence across said element widthwise of said strip and each succeeding element has correspondingly placed progressively increased indicating numerals thereon.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein each numeral on each element has a unique color and the colors of the numerals on succeeding elements for a particular pleat spacing distance have the same color.
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein each indicating numeral has associated with it an indication line extending in a direction across said element widthwise of said strip.
 5. The device of claim 4, where each indicating numeral and its associated indicating line on a said element is in the same color, and wherein each indicating numeral on a said element has a unique color. 